The scientists won’t be taking the test themselves. Instead, this being Japan, researchers have posed the question of whether a robot could pass the test to get into the country’s most prestigious university.

Fujitsu Ltd. is betting artificial intelligence is smart enough to make the grade for Todai — as the university is also known. In response to the challenge “Can a Robot Pass the Todai Entrance Exam”?, the electronics company said Monday that its research subsidiary, Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. will join forces with Japan’s National Institute of Informatics, to develop a robot capable of getting through the test.

The project, started last year by NII, aims to create an artificial brain that can earn “high marks” on the nationwide university entrance exam within four years. By 2021, it wants to conquer Todai’s own and arguably more demanding exam. Like many of Japan’s elite colleges, Todai requires students to take both the general university entrance exam administered by the National Center for University Entrance Examinations and its own tailored test. The combined scores determine who makes the cut.

Students cram for subjects that include world history, social studies, chemistry, physics, algebra, trigonometry and a slew of foreign languages. Fujitsu will work with NII to beef up the robot’s math skills, which is a required subject for the Todai exam regardless what department they are applying for.

The project breathes new life into the artificial intelligence debate. The end game with the Todai Robot isn’t simply to best the test. It’s to “enable anyone to easily use sophisticated mathematical analysis tools, which will lead to solutions for a wide range of real-world problems,” Fujitsu said in a statement on Monday.

Surely, in the age of supercomputers and drink-serving robots, there are machines a plenty that can compute far more complex head scratchers than quadratic functions. Fujitsu’s very own K Computer is among the world’s most potent calculating machines. Working at more than eight quadrillion calculations per second, the K supercomputer can tackle tough problems like climate change and weather patterns. But therein lies the challenge for artificial intelligence researchers. If all goes well, the Todai Robot won’t be just a good calculator. It will have learned the problem-solving skills of high school-level math.

To get there, the scientists say they will develop ways to translate the mathematical formulas as understood by humans in a way a robot can process. This would mean figuring out a way for the robot to analyze words mixed with mathematical jargon, identify parts of a formula and how they relate to each other, and teach it enough math smarts so it can solve problems. It would also mean leaving enough open-endedness to allow the robot’s artificial brain to weigh options and actually work out solutions.

The process is a compilation of many small chunks of artificial intelligence technology labored over up until now such as the ability to summarize text and analyze grammar. Fujitsu said the project’s goal is to sharpen these elemental parts, then integrate them into real-world problem-solving situations. The robot could perhaps help manufacturers examine different cost-cutting options, for example, explained a Fujitsu spokesman.

Fujitsu said the robot is currently able to solve up to 60% of the math questions on the general nationwide entrance exam. It doesn’t take a math whiz to know that’s not a good grade. And the Todai entrance exams get measurably harder, laden with more complexities to teach the robot.

About Japan Real Time

Japan Real Time is a newsy, concise guide to what works, what doesn’t and why in the one-time poster child for Asian development, as it struggles to keep pace with faster-growing neighbors while competing with Europe for Michelin-rated restaurants. Drawing on the expertise of The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires, the site provides an inside track on business, politics and lifestyle in Japan as it comes to terms with being overtaken by China as the world’s second-biggest economy. You can contact the editors at japanrealtime@wsj.com